LP/propane or natural gas fueled heaters such as patio heaters are available in both free-standing and built-in configurations, and are primarily sold for commercial applications. For example, patio heaters have become especially popular in recent years in areas such as the Southwest where no smoking laws are being applied to taverns and bars forcing patrons outdoors to smoke which can be especially inconvenient during cold nights. Patio heaters can be utilized to provide warmth in preselected outdoor areas making it much more comfortable for smokers, and for those who like to be outdoors.
Free-standing patio heaters that can be readily moved from location to location to heat preselected areas typically have a base that is sized to contain a fuel tank therein and an elongate hollow support standard projecting upward therefrom to a burner assembly housing in which air is heated by combustion of the fuel gases from the tank in the base. The burner assembly housing has a cylindrical wall provided with apertures to provide for the escape of the hot products of combustion in the housing. The flow of hot gases through the wall apertures heats the wall so that the wall emits radiant infra-red heat. A relatively large dome-shaped reflector hood is attached on top of the housing and opens downwardly for reflecting heat emanating from the housing generally downwardly about the standard of the patio heater. In the built-in configuration which typically will not be moved after the unit is installed, the heater is connected to a source of gas such as provided by a gas utility company thus eliminating the need for the base so that the standard extends all the way from the ground up to the burner assembly housing. In each of the free-standing and built-in configurations, the burner assembly housing and reflector dome have substantially the same construction.
One shortcoming of presently available patio heaters is in their heating efficiency. The apertured cylindrical wall has portions exposed below the bottom of the dome reflector hood such that heat emitted therefrom may not encounter the dome, and instead of being directed downwardly thereby for heating of the area around the standard, the heat travels in a generally unimpeded path radially away from the heater so as to provide little or no heating effect to the area below which is desired to be warmed. Further, once the patio heater is turned on, the area heated is the entire 360.degree. circumference around the unit; however, this entire area may not need to be heated such as where the heater is adjacent a corner of the patio so that it is difficult for people to stand around the entire 360.degree. area under the hood.
A further deficiency lies in the large size of the metal reflector domes, typically on the order of 341/2 inches in diameter. The large dome is expensive and difficult to store and ship in a compact manner. Current packaging of the apparatus is likewise rendered more difficult where the apparatus has a large size dome reflector which restricts the ability to properly display and shelve the apparatus for retail sale.
Accordingly, there is a need for a heating apparatus such as a patio heater which better maximizes its heating efficiency. A further need exists for a heating apparatus that can be stored and shipped in a compact and cost-efficient manner. In addition, a patio heater that can be compactly packaged would be desirable for retail sale.